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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24874216">Within The Waters</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/KorruptBrekker/pseuds/KorruptBrekker'>KorruptBrekker</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Within Sequence [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sanders Sides (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Human, Alternate Universe - Merpeople, M/M, not beta read we die like men</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 10:09:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>11,408</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24874216</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/KorruptBrekker/pseuds/KorruptBrekker</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After being entranced into encountering Virgil, both Logan and the siren quickly hit it off. Will the cultural barriers hinder their friendship, or will it flourish into something more despite the differences?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Anxiety | Virgil Sanders/Logic | Logan Sanders</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Within Sequence [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2035471</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>84</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Logan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>If you enjoy podfics, this story was just made into one. I implore you to listen if you so desire. Check it out <a href="https://janus-the-podficcer.tumblr.com/post/625359371922259968/back-with-another-podfic-within-the-waters/">here.</a></p>
    </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNINGS: Drowning, Non Consensual Mind Manipulation</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Logan rolled his shoulders as he looked out the side of the ship. The sky was clear and speckled with stars. The moon’s reflection shifted and changed with the waves. There was nothing like gazing out into the sky. The comfort of the stars offset his fear of the ocean enough for him to comfortably look out at the watery expanse before him. It was almost calming the way the waves rocked the ship. Almost. There was still the little thought in Logan’s head of drowning in the middle of the ocean, no body to recover. But even so, the sky was just too perfect, he had to come out here.</p><p>He rested his forearms on the railing, neck craned up at the sky. He couldn't help but smile just a little. It was definitely an impressive sight. He forgot how much light pollution affected the sky. But now. Here. In the middle of nowhere. He felt almost at home gazing into the infinite sky. And then he heard it.</p><p>A voice. Coming from the depths before him. His confusion lasted only a millisecond before desire took over. It was intoxicating. Before he knew what he was doing he leapt from the railing ungracefully into the deep below. The water was freezing, the waves determined, but he didn’t care. Deeper, deeper, deeper, he swam. He had to find out where that voice was coming from. He felt his limbs go numb, the freezing cold seeping into his bones. He didn’t care. Deeper and deeper he swam, his chest aching. He stopped once he saw him.</p><p>The most majestic creature he’d come across in the entirety of his existence. He couldn’t help but beam. His open mouthed smile caused water to seep in. He couldn’t care less. The creature had pale skin, and deep violet hair. He had lavender gills on his neck, and his torso faded seamlessly into a lavender and black fish tail, swishing elegantly back and forth. The creature spotted Logan and made his way towards him, swimming circles around him.</p><p>Logan tried to follow his movements, but his vision was speckled with black. The creature grabbed Logan’s tie with its webbed hand, inspecting it. He then pulled Logan to him, a smirk playing across his features. Logan gasped in surprise, causing water to cascade into his mouth and down his throat and lungs. He knew he should be feeling a little more than discomfort, but his mind was foggy with lack of oxygen and desire. The creature grinned, revealing a mouth full of shark’s teeth. Its eyes were black pools, sclera, iris, pupil and all. Logan smiled faintly back, his vision going in and out of focus. </p><p>The creature cocked its head, cupping Logan’s face with one hand, face inches away from Logan’s. His eyes were mesmerising. He’d never seen anything like it. Not to mention the creature's anatomy. And their incomparable beauty. It was fascinating. And he wanted it all to himself. Logan’s chest was convulsing, fighting the saltwater filling his lungs. He barely noticed. Instead, he closed the gap between him and the creature, their lips meeting.</p><p>Just as he did so, he faded into the darkness.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Virgil</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Virgil comes to his senses.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Virgil quite enjoyed toying with humans. It was always fun to watch them drown, still giddy with desire. Nothing was more satisfying. Soon enough he’d deliver the death blow and move on to his next victim.</p><p>Their lips met. Virgil’s eyes shot open. He looked around frantically, forcing himself to come to his senses. He stared in horror at the human before him, unconscious, possibly dead, floating in the open ocean. He’d done this. It was his fault. Fuck. He hadn’t killed a human in ages. He’d sworn to himself that he’d never do it again. And here he was, a slave to the moon yet again. He shook his head. Resentment could wait. He had to save this unfortunate boy. He grabbed his torso and sped off to a small, secluded cove and hauled the human onto the rocks. He racked his brain. There was a thing humans did to save other humans. He’d seen it done before. He’d never done it himself, but better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all.</p><p>He began to press the boy’s chest in a rhythm, and then, hesitantly at first, blew air into his mouth. He repeated this process a few times, and then, finally, when he was about to give up, the boy sputtered and coughed, gasping for air. He was shaking violently, but he was alive. That’s what mattered. Virgil opened his mouth to ask if he was alright, and then realized if he did, the whole situation would repeat itself. It would be best if he just left now. Maybe he’d seek out the human later. He was about to swim back when he heard the human curse.</p><p>“Fuck, fuck, fuck. Why did it have to be sight? Fucking glasses, where the fuck are they.”</p><p>Oh, that’s right. He’d been wearing glasses. They must have come off when Virgil swam him to shore. He’d have to look for them. Fingers crossed he wouldn’t go anywhere as Virgil searched for them. With a quick splash, he dove back into the depths to look for the accessory. He wasn’t entirely sure why he was helping this particular human, maybe he wanted to make up for almost killing him. He wasn’t sure, but either way, it was a nice distraction from the daunting hours ahead. Recovering from the siren transformation was always the hardest. Your body physically ached as your magic slipped away from you, and you shifted back into a normal mer. It wasn’t extremely painful, but it was excruciatingly exhausting, and the distraction was definitely appreciated.</p><p>After a while of searching and a stroke of luck, Virgil found the glasses. He snatched them from the open water and swam back to the cove, relieved to see the human still there, fumbling around. Virgil reached a hand out, placing the glasses next to him. The human quickly found them and put them on, sighing in relief. Then he laid eyes on Virgil and froze. Virgil could see his pupils dilate.</p><p>He couldn’t spellbind people with just his looks, thank God, but thanks to his siren heritage, he was seen as extremely attractive by others. He hated it. He didn’t like all the attention, it made him anxious. He bit his lip, squirming, waiting for the human to say something. Wait. Why the hell was he doing that? He should just get the hell outta dodge. The human was fine, and he could go about his life like normal. But there was something about this one that Virgil was drawn to. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but he decided to go with his gut and stick around.</p><p>The human blinked a couple times, then removed his glasses, rubbed his eyes, and put them back on again. His eyes widened and he stumbled to his feet, backing against the cove wall. “I’m dreaming. I’ve been drugged. Something. This isn’t real. This can’t be real.” He kept glancing at Virgil in shock and disbelief.</p><p>Nevermind. This one wasn’t different than any of the others. They’d chalk this encounter up to sleep loss or some shit and be on their merry way. Virgil shouldn’t get his hopes up. It’s not like they actually cared. They couldn’t even accept their own species. Lord knows what they’d do to another. He turned to go.</p><p>“Wait, where are you going?”</p><p>Virgil turned around and cocked his head towards the ocean.</p><p>“Well, before you go, may I examine you?”</p><p>Virgil stared at him in disbelief. Examine. Like a science experiment. That hurt. But despite that, he nodded, swimming up to him, against his better judgement.</p><p>The human smiled slightly, rolling his shoulders and adjusting his glasses. “Fantastic. Let’s begin then, shall we?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Logan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Logan spirals.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNINGS: Mention of Possible Death, Mention of Possible and Past Mind Manipulation</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Logan’s mouth and limbs were moving before his brain could catch up. He was still gawking over the man-fish hybrid before him. He decided to come back to the fact that this creature could apparently understand English and plucked a scale from their tail and placed it in his pocket. He then turned his attention to their head. They had fins where a human’s ear would be, but he could still hear, so he must have an internal ear system, much like a shark. When Logan looked behind the creature's head fins, he found a small hole in the flesh, confirming his hypothesis. Next was the teeth. Logan took note that, again, this creature took after shark anatomy in that it had multiple rows of teeth. Its front teeth were sharp and pointed, both on the top and bottom row, though as they moved further back, the constant canines were replaced with molars. So this creature was omnivorous. Interesting. Logan had to admit, it was extremely unnerving to see multiple rows of molars, and moved on quickly. Finally, the eyes. The creature’s scleras were white again, and their irises were a piercing lavender, admitting a faint glow. Very different compared to the entirely black eye he was met with underwater. He’d have to find out why they changed.</p><p>Once that was over, Logan sat down, finally allowing the reality of the situation to crash upon him. He’d been avoiding this moment for as long as possible, hence the sudden wish to examine the creature. That, and, he’d discovered a creature believed to only be a myth. He couldn’t just pass up an opportunity like this. But now that it was all over, he was slapped in the face with his circumstances. He was in a freezing cove, in the middle of nowhere, clothes soaked through. He wasn’t coming out of this without hypothermia. His phone must have fallen out of his pocket in the dive, but even if it didn’t, the saltwater would have ruined it. And so, he was trapped, shivering uncontrollably, in a cove in the middle of nowhere, with no means of communication with the outside world, and a previously mythical creature that could ruin his ordinary train of thought.</p><p>That was a whole different issue. He recalled his sudden lapse in judgement near perfectly and was disgusted and horrified with himself. He’d acted purely on impulse, and this adventure had proven to him that his will wasn’t as strong as he thought it was. Even now, part of him wanted to drop everything and be close with the creature once more. Logan shuddered, which, alongside his constant shivering, came across as more of a spasm than anything else. That brought him out of his thoughts. He needed to get to land--inhabited land--as quickly as possible. If he didn’t, a lack of judgement would be the least of his problems. He looked at the creature.</p><p>“Th-this c-c-c-cove is spect-t-t-tacular a-and all, but i-i-if you wa-a-ant me to l-l-live, and I’m as-s-s-s-ssuming you do, I-I ne-ed to get to sh-sh-shore.”</p><p>The creature’s eyes widened and they nodded, motioning for Logan to join him in the water. Logan wasn’t all that thrilled about trusting a clearly manipulative creature, but it was better than dying alone. And, on the plus side, if the creature did kill him, at least his last moments would be pleasurable. He took a deep shaky breath and got back into the freezing sea. The creature motioned for Logan to wrap his arms around his neck, and so he did. Then they were off. It didn’t bring Logan underneath the surface, which was a good sign. On the horizon, the sun was rising, the waters fading from black to blue, the stars disappearing along with it. Seeing how vast and deep everything was sent Logan’s heart leaping out of his chest. He felt his chest constrict as he began to hyperventilate, running through all of the horrid scenarios that could happen. The creature interrupted Logan’s mental spiral by coming to a grinding halt a few meters from the shore. </p><p>“Th-th-this is as far as y-y-y-you’re going?”</p><p>The creature nodeed, then bit its lip, looking like it was debating something. Then, for the first time since Logan had heard it from the ship, it spoke. “I-I’m sorry. I know, I shouldn’t even be talking right now, but most of the vocal magic has worn off. Well, with speech anyway. If I were to sing it would be a different story, but I’m not gonna do that to you. Not again.”</p><p>The minute he spoke, Logan almost didn’t want to go back to shore. A part of him wanted to just stay with this creature forever, but the haze wasn’t too strong, and he knew that if he didn’t leave now, he wouldn’t make it back to shore period. Though despite this, Logan’s mouth was still working faster than his brain, “Your app-p-pology is much appreciat-t-t-t-t-ted, though I s-s-sincerely hope that this won’t be our last m-m-m-m-meeting. After all, I’ve only scratched the surface in r-r-r-regards to learning about your s-s-s-species. And not to mention, you are particularly d-d-d-dashing.”</p><p>Dashing? Seriously? There was something extremely wrong with him if he had just called a FISH dashing. Well, he wasn’t entirely fish, so maybe it wasn’t in beastiality territory. Oh Jesus, no. He was NOT going down that rabbit hole today.</p><p>The creature turned slightly red, and muttered, “You know, you don’t have to compliment me. You don’t even know my name..”</p><p>“Well then t-t-tell me.”</p><p>LOGAN BERRY! GET OUT OF THE FUCKING WATER RIGHT NOW BEFORE YOU COLLAPSE! QUIT GAWKING OVER SOME FISH GUY YOU WHO NEARLY KILLED YOU AND SAVE YOURSELF! He chastised. He needed to get out of the water immediately. But, he could spare a couple more seconds to learn this guy’s name.</p><p>“Virgil..” He said, not making eye contact.</p><p>“A p-p-p-pleasure to meet you, Virgil. I am Lo-o-ogan. Now, I honest-t-t-tly must get to shore before my h-h-h-heart gives out, but I would like to meet again. 23:00 tonight. Agreed?”</p><p>Virgil’s eyes widened in surprise and he nodded, a ghost of a smile playing across his features. “Agreed.” Then he unhooked Logan’s arms from his neck and sunk into the water, swimming off.</p><p>Logan had forgotten he was near completely relying on Virgil to stay afloat, and the swim back was exhausting. He managed to drag himself onto shore, collapsing in a heap on the warm sand. He forced himself up and trudged to the nearest bus station, wherein he rode it home. The minute he arrived, he immediately replaced his wet clothes with warm, dry ones and collapsed onto his couch, huddled under a few blankets. Then, he quickly fell into unconsciousness.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Virgil</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Logan and Virgil have a conversation.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The moon was shrouded in clouds, and the waters were dark as night. Despite this, Virgil couldn’t stop fidgeting. The darkness typically calmed him down, but not tonight. Tonight, he was going to continue his conversation with the human. Or maybe he wouldn’t. Maybe Logan wouldn’t show. Maybe he’d be blown off and left to return to his life of solitude. The swishing of a dinghy’s oars brought Virgil back to reality. He quickly ducked underwater, not wanting to risk being seen by anyone else.</p><p>“Virgil?” A voice called.</p><p>Virgil peeked his head just above the water, and was met with Logan looking over the rails, stone faced.</p><p>“Good, you’re here. Now, I don’t think it wise to meet out in the open ocean, so, guide me to the cove we were at last night and our conversations may begin.”</p><p>Virgil was slightly shocked. His serious tone was so different compared to his awkward, nerdy way of speaking that Virgil was introduced to. Even so, he led Logan to the cove, his stomach in knots. He wondered if the change in tone was for a negative reason. He really wanted to get to know this human more, and if the feelings weren’t reciprocated… He didn’t want to think about that. Virgil reminded himself that he was in the present, and that if anything happened, he’d cross that bridge when he got to it.</p><p>Once they were situated, Logan began. “First order of business: copulation.”</p><p>“I’m sorry, what?”</p><p>“Well, it appears that some of your anatomy is fish-like, and some of it is shark-like, even though sharks are technically fish, but that doesn't necessarily relate to the topic at hand. Clearly, you exist, so you had to have come from somewhere. Since sharks have a different way of copulating than fish do, I’d like to know which one merfolk take after.”</p><p>“You’re kidding, right?”</p><p>“Do I look like I’m kidding?” He asked, gesturing to his necktie.</p><p>“Okay, maybe I can answer sex questions after, ya know, I’ve known you for a little bit longer than a day? I don’t really wanna give you The Talk right now.” Virgil said, flushing at the thought.</p><p>Logan sighed, pushing his glasses up his nose. “Fine. What’s your age? In human years?”</p><p>“I’m 23, I believe.” Virgil didn’t necessarily pay a whole lot of attention to human time, but he had to keep track of the moon’s cycle, and knew how many full moons there were in a human year.</p><p>“Ahh, I see. That’s comfor- That’s good information to take note of. What’s the average lifespan of a male versus a female of your species?”</p><p>“You can say siren, you know. It’s not a dirty word.”</p><p>“I am aware, it’s just that-”</p><p>“You still see me as imaginary. Just a myth.” Virgil said glumly. This was the reason he didn’t interact with humans. They couldn’t see past their own world. Maybe the thought of romance--friendship, was too good to be true.</p><p>“Yes and no.”</p><p>Virgil looked at Logan. “What do you mean?”</p><p>“While it is extremely jarring to register that a creature I once thought to be nothing but a children’s tale, like faeries or God, is actually real,” Logan explained, gesticulating as if waving his hands could help him find the right words, “it’s not the only reason I don’t want to use the word.”</p><p>“Then what’s the other reason?” Virgil asked, tail swishing hopefully.</p><p>“Well, in the texts that I’ve read, sirens are purely self serving. Selfish to a detrimental degree. But you.. you’re not. You’re benevolent, and empathetic. So, the term doesn’t seem to fit you. Yes, I know, I’m aware that it’s all completely on my end and that I have to rewire my way of thinking-”</p><p>“Do you mean that..?”</p><p>“Mean what?”</p><p>“You called me kind and caring. Do you mean that..?”</p><p>“Of course,” Logan said, adjusting his glasses, a light flush spreading across his cheeks. “You saved my life. And then let me poke and prod at you and listened to my ramblings. Not a lot of people are willing to do that.”</p><p>Virgil smiled. Logan’s flush must be contagious; he could feel his own cheeks heating. The two sat in an awkward silence before Logan interrupted it with an abrupt clearing of his throat.</p><p>“So,” he said, adjusting his tie, “Is there anything you’d like to know about the human world?”</p><p>“I’d like to know about you.” Virgil said, then slapped a webbed hand over his mouth, quickly sinking into the water, red as precious coral. Did he really just say that? Yeah, Logan was cute, but he’d known the guy for less than a day! Virgil hid his face in his hands, completely and utterly embarrassed. He heard splashing and looked up to see Logan trying to get his attention. He reluctantly stuck his head out of the water, and to his surprise, Logan was almost as red as he was, if not more So, and he looked like he was psyching himself up for something.</p><p>“Y-you can ask me questions about myself if you’d like.” He said, fidgeting with his glasses, not making eye contact.</p><p>Virgil’s eyebrows rose, “Really?”</p><p>Logan nodded, running a hand through his hair shyly.</p><p>“O-okay then.. Um, how old are you?”</p><p>“23, same as you.”</p><p>“What do you like to do?”</p><p>“Stargaze.” Logan said, smiling sheepishly.</p><p>“Me too.” Virgil admitted. “The sky is really pretty out here. I could just stare at it for hours. Sometimes I wish I could go on land, so that I could just lay down and stare up at it.”</p><p>“Well, you’d be quite disappointed. The stars are much clearer here than they are on land. Too much light pollution.”</p><p>“Oh.” Virgil said. Why was he not surprised. He looked at Logan, and noticed that for the first time that night, he’d begun to relax. He didn’t look or sound as uptight. Virgil decided he preferred the more relaxed, and occasionally flustered Logan over the all business guy.</p><p>The two went on to talk for the rest of the night, asking each other questions, and bonding over their common interests. It turned out that Logan was extremely easy to fluster, and soon enough, Virgil mustered up the confidence to tease him a bit. Before they knew it, the sun was rising, and they had to return to their respective lives. But they agreed, as they had the night before, that they’d meet again, and continue their conversation.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Logan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Logan is utterly smitten.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNINGS: Consensual Mind Control</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Logan’s stomach was in all kinds of knots as he sat at the cove waiting for Virgil. They’d been meeting regularly for about a week, though no matter how many times they came in contact, his heart began to race and he lost all sense of a train of thought. It was thrilling and terrifying. He wouldn’t dare admit it to himself, but Logan was absolutely smitten. He would love to spend a lifetime with Virgil, though with the whole species situation, it wasn’t possible. But, that certainly didn’t stop his imagination. </p><p>“Wat’cha thinkin’ ‘bout?” Virgil asked in a singsong tone.</p><p>Logan looked at Virgil, admiring him. He was lean and toned, and his shy smile was something that Logan would do anything for. </p><p>“Nothing; science.” He lied, looking sideways.</p><p>“Aww, is the nerd crushing on someone?” He teased.</p><p>“O-of course not.” Logan said, adjusting his tie in hopes of fighting off his heating cheeks and regaining his composure.</p><p>“Sure.” Virgil winked.</p><p>“S-so, I, uhm, wanted to ask you something.”</p><p>“Shoot.” He said, resting his head on his arms looking up at Logan. Dear Lord Virgil was beautiful.</p><p>“I’ve come to the conclusion that you have the ability to override rational thought with song, but you haven’t gone into detail about that.”</p><p>Virgil looked at his hands, biting his lip nervously. “Well, you see, I don’t really talk about it because I don’t really like that part of myself.. I don’t want to prevent people from making their own decisions, I want them to have their own free will..”</p><p>“Of course. So, educate me so that we can avoid a situation like our meeting again.”</p><p>Logan knew he was being rational. He knew it was best for him if he wasn’t manipulated like he was when he and Virgil first met, but there was a small, infinitesimal part of him that wanted that again. Virgil was just so.. otherworldly that night. He emitted an intoxicating energy that Logan wanted to experience again. But, he clearly wasn’t comfortable with it. Logan pushed the thoughts away, returning his attention to the siren.</p><p>“O-okay. Well, the first thing is that I have a specific hormone that causes me to be perceived as more attractive. Though, frankly, I wish I didn’t have it. The stares make me uncomfortable. E-except for you, o-of course. I mean strangers. I just.. don’t really like it. And then there’s the full moon business. My vocal magic itself gets stronger. Ordinarily, I can sing and captivate someone, but it’s much more powerful during the full moon. Along with that, my speech typically doesn’t have any effect on humans, but during the full moon just hearing me talk will jack up your brain. Not as much as my song will, but it’ll definitely have an impact. And, finally, I physically change during that time, too. As you’ve seen, my eyes turn completely black, and my colours become brighter. Then my instincts take over and for a period of time, all I can think about is satisfying my boredom and my intent to kill.. It isn’t the prettiest thing, as you’ve seen. Or, rather, it is, and that’s the problem..”</p><p>Logan nodded slowly, taking in this information. “So, what snapped you out of it before. It was still during the full moon when you saved me, so you clearly have the ability to come to your senses. What was the trigger.”</p><p>“Uhm..” Virgil squirmed slightly. “We kissed..”</p><p>“Ah, yes..” Logan responded, feeling himself go bright red as the memory returned to him. It was hazy, but it was there. And much to his dismay, he wanted it again. He remembered the feeling of Virgil’s hand on his face, the crackling energy between them. Logan knew it wasn’t entirely real, but despite that, he wanted it back. And he wanted it bad.</p><p>“Yeah..”</p><p>“So, when the full moon rolls around I just.. kiss you.. and you’re back to normal..?” It was a reasonable conclusion to come to with the evidence he was given, but he still felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him as he asked.</p><p>Virgil looked like he was experiencing a similar emotion as he responded, “I guess.. I mean, that would make sense..”</p><p>Logan nodded. “And if it doesn’t work? And I’m still under your spell?”</p><p>Virgil frowned at that. “You would have to fight me enough to put paraffin in your ears or something, and just wait out the moon.”</p><p>“So, the question is, how strong is your song and how strong is my will.”</p><p>Virgil nodded. “Yeah..”</p><p>Logan sighed. “I wish I had some way to practice. To see if I could make any progress or not.”</p><p>“W-well.. If you could resist my song now, you might have a chance when the time comes..”</p><p>“Virgil, you don’t have to do that. I know it makes you uncomfortable. I would never want to put you in a situation where you felt ill at ease.”</p><p>“I-it’s okay. It’s for the greater good, right? And I’d be in control of myself, so there wouldn’t be any accidents, I could stop at any time. I want to do this for you and for me. I don’t want to be afraid of myself anymore. And maybe, if I accept this part of me, it’ll be easier to control when the full moon rolls around.”</p><p>“Fair point. Alright. We can practice two times a night. Once near the beginning of our time, and once near the end. That ought to be enough to get us to improve before next month.”</p><p>Virgil nodded. “O-okay, so I just start now or..?”</p><p>“One second. I want to ground myself as much as possible before I go into this. When we first met, I was lost in the stars; I wasn’t grounded at all. I want to see if being grounded makes a difference.”</p><p>It was that, and, if Logan was being honest with himself, he was slightly scared by the thought of losing his will. He’d have to trust that Virgil would keep him safe, and that was truly worrisome. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Virgil, it was just that he trusted himself more. No one could disappoint you if you didn’t rely on anyone in the first place, right? Nevertheless, he wanted to do this. To prepare for a worst case scenario, and to strengthen his bond with Virgil. Relationships took work, and Logan wanted to do his part. He took a deep breath, using a senses exercise to bring him into the present moment. “Alright, begin.”</p><p>At first, Logan was alright. Virgil’s voice was beautiful beyond compare, yes, but he stayed where he was, ignoring the pull to jump into the water and spend the rest of his days with him. He stayed that way for a little while, though soon, his brain turned to mush and he turned to Virgil. He had somehow become more beautiful than just a minute ago. Logan stood and walked over to him, kneeling next to the siren. His lavender eyes were mesmerising. Logan cupped his face, leaned in, and…</p><p>Virgil’s singing stopped, bringing Logan to his senses. He scurried back, beet red, realizing that if he’s just inched a little closer, he would have kissed Virgil. His heart was pounding, his cheeks flushed, his brain both fuzzy and spiraling.</p><p>“I-I’m so sorry!” He said, adjusting his glasses. “It’s just- I just-”</p><p>“It’s okay.” Virgil said, smiling slightly at Logan’s utter embarrassment. “You did well, most people wouldn’t even last a minute.”</p><p>Logan adjusted his tie and his glasses again, trying to get his flush under control. “W-well, now we have a baseline.”</p><p>Virgil nodded. “We do. You know, if I get to see you this flustered every time we do this, it doesn’t seem so bad.” Virgil teased, smirking slightly.</p><p>This caused Logan to turn even redder, which he wasn’t sure was even possible, getting a laugh out of Virgil. He was still calming down by the time he rode back to shore. The next few weeks were going to be eventful for sure, but part of Logan was eager for it. That night, he slept soundly, dreaming of himself in Virgil’s arms as they laid underneath the stars.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Virgil</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Virgil asks Logan on a date.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNINGS: Alcohol Mention</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Virgil? Earth to Virgil.”</p><p>Virgil blinked as Logan’s snapping brought him back to reality. “Hm?”</p><p>“I asked what you think?”</p><p>Virgil flushed, embarrassed that he wasn’t paying attention, “About what?”</p><p>“About satire. Were you really not paying attention?” Logan looked slightly hurt.</p><p>“I- well, there’s been something on my mind..”</p><p>“Which is?”</p><p>“Um.. Well..” Virgil’s gaze slid to the side as he messed with the skin between his fingers; a nervous tic of his.</p><p>Logan put a hand on his arm. “It’s alright, I won’t judge.”</p><p>Virgil nodded, taking a deep breath. “I wanted to ask you something..”</p><p>“Go ahead.” Logan’s lips quirked ever so slightly in as much of a comforting smile as he could give.</p><p>“W-will you..” Virgil took a deep breath, then shut his eyes. “Willyougoonadatewithme?” He immediately sank under the water, giving himself a chance to calm down. When he resurfaced, he saw Logan smiling slightly, a decent flush decorating his face.</p><p>“I-I think that’d be rather enjoyable.” He said, rubbing his neck awkwardly.</p><p>Virgil’s face split into a hopeful grin, “Really?”</p><p>“Yes, really. I thought I was being extremely obvious that I find you attractive, though apparently I wasn’t.” Logan said, not making eye contact.</p><p>Virgil chuckled, “Oh, no, it’s VERY clear. But just because you think someone is pretty doesn’t mean you want to date them.”</p><p>Logan nodded his head in understanding, adjusting his tie. “Fair point. So, what time?”</p><p>“Oh, I didn’t really think about that.” Virgil said sheepishly.</p><p>“Well, we’ve both established that stargazing is a pleasant pastime for the both of us, so we meet at 01:00 in the.. middle of the ocean..?” Logan’s voice trailed off, a flash of worry crossing his features.</p><p>“What’s wrong?”</p><p>“Well, I.. I have an interesting relationship with the ocean.. It’s, uhm, it doesn’t feel the safest to me..”</p><p>“You’re afraid of the ocean?”</p><p>Logan nodded.</p><p>“Don’t worry, I’ll protect you.” Virgil said, resting a hand on Logan’s knee.</p><p>Logan flushed, “You’d do that?”</p><p>“Hell yeah. I’d challenge a megalodon for you. Well, not really, but, I wanna help you feel safe. It’s my home, so I oughta help you feel welcome right?”</p><p>“Thank you Virgil. Really.”</p><p>“Of course.”</p><p>Holy shit. He just got himself a date AND he came off as confident! He mentally gave himself a pat on the back and took a note to celebrate the victory once Logan left for the night.</p><p>Logan looked at his watch. “It’s that time again.”</p><p>Virgil’s face fell. “Alright. I’ll swim you a few meters from shore.”</p><p>“Actually, before I go, let’s set a date. For our date, I mean.”</p><p>“Tomorrow..?” Virgil asked, already excited and nervous for it.</p><p>Logan nodded. “Alright. I’ll bring some human food and beverage you may try.”</p><p>Virgil smiled. “I can’t wait.”</p><p>Logan smiled slightly in return and boarded his dinghy, rowing out of the cove and to shore, Virgil swimming alongside him.</p><p>“G’night.”</p><p>Logan nodded. “Good morning rather, but yes. Farewell. Until we meet again.” He gave a small bow and rode to shore.<br/>
Virgil watched as he pulled onto the sand and walked off, returning to his life in the human world. Once he was out of sight, Virgil dove and swam in circles, nearly squealing. He was going on a date in 24 hours and HE’D been the one to ask! He was so excited and proud. He swam back to the cove, sitting atop a rock, fantasising about the events to come.</p><p> </p><p>* * *</p><p> </p><p>Virgil swam impatiently up and down the cove, waiting for Logan. He’d been waiting there for about an hour, not able to do anything else. He was so excited. And nervous. What if he fucked up somehow? He shook the thought off and continued his pacing.</p><p>When Logan’s boat pulled into the cove, Virgil nearly shot out of the water in excitement. Then, when he saw Logan get out, his jaw dropped. He'd slicked his hair back slightly, and his thick rimmed glasses had been replaced with some dashing thin ones. Virgil believed they were called browline glasses. He wore a black button down shirt, and a lapis blue bowtie. His slacks were navy blue, and his dress shoes, black. He looked excruciatingly dashing as he sat on the ground of the cove, a small woven basket beside him.</p><p>“Wow..” Virgil muttered. He really was beautiful.</p><p>Logan adjusted his glasses nervously, “Wow what?”</p><p>“Wow you. You just look.. wow.”</p><p>Logan turned beet red at that, adjusting his glasses again, and then his bowtie. “Th-thank you. Y-you too.”</p><p>Virgil flushed slightly at this, smiling. He hadn’t done much, just added a bit of squid ink to a paste he’d made and applied it to his lips. Nothing extravagant, just a little something. “So, what’s in there?” Virgil asked, pointing to the woven basket.</p><p>“Food. And drink. Since this is a date, I kinda wanted to make it romantic and brought wine. Romanticism isn’t really my jam--pardon the pun--but I decided I’d try it. As for the food, I wanted to share with you my favourite thing to consume. Despite my pun, it isn’t jam, it’s jelly, but even so, it’s marvelous and I thought you might like to try it. And, to help balance out the alcohol, I just made us a couple sandwiches. Nothing too extravagant, cooking isn’t much of my forté either.” He explained as he pulled out each respective item when mentioned. Along with the food items, he pulled out two glasses and two metal spoons, setting them beside the food. “And don’t worry. I’ll be sure not to leave any waste behind. I care about the environment.”</p><p>Virgil smiled at this, excited to try human food for the first time. As Logan poured a deep burgundy liquid into the glasses, Virgil couldn’t help but swish his tail in excitement. A night of dinner and then stargazing. This was going to be perfect.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Logan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Logan has an interesting date.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNINGS: Inebriation, Non Con. Elements(Boundaries are set and nothing occurs)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Logan opened the jar of Crofters, handing Virgil a spoon and putting his spoonful in his mouth. “Mmm, so good.” Logan sighed in contentment.</p><p>Curiously, Virgil dished himself a spoonful. His eyes rose in surprise as he tasted it. “Damn, that’s good.”</p><p>“You’re only allowed to have half the jar.” Logan said sternly.</p><p>Virgil nodded, then looked to the food and drink beside him. “So, you said you brought the other human food--sandwiches--to balance this out.” Virgil said pointing to the wine. “Why does it need to be balanced?”</p><p>“Alcohol is an interesting thing. It’s a depressant, it makes your reaction time slower, and it clouds your judgment. In excessive amounts anyways. The rate that your body reacts to and processes the chemicals depends on the person. I can’t drink a whole lot before losing my ability to think straight, so I typically don’t drink at all, but I figured today would be an exception. I just won’t drink a lot and make sure I’m sober before I head off.”</p><p>Virgil nodded, taking the glass and sniffing it. “It smells sweet. And almost tangy.”</p><p>Logan nodded, taking a bite of his sandwich. “It has an interesting flavour. Though I encourage you to try the other food first so you’re not drinking on an empty stomach.”</p><p>“Okay.” Virgil said, taking a bite of his own. His expression wasn’t overjoyed, but wasn’t disgusted either. “Bland.” He said.</p><p>Logan looked down sheepishly, “Yeah, sorry about that.”</p><p>“Do I have to eat it all now or can I try the alcohol?”</p><p>Logan huffed slightly, “Cutting straight to the chase, huh? Go ahead. Just be sure to eat throughout the night. It’s important.”</p><p>Virgil nodded, then took a large swig from his glass. At Logan’s shocked expression, he explained, “I’ve never had anything other than saltwater before. It’s a much needed change of pace.”</p><p>“Okay, well pace yourself.”</p><p>Virgil shrugged. “Alright. So, we’re just gonna eat here?”</p><p>“Well, I imagined that we’d spend some time just talking and then we can swim out to see the stars.”</p><p>Now that Logan thought about it, it wasn’t a whole lot. Maybe he should have planned more for the date. Maybe it wasn’t enough. No, he was spiralling. How many hours had they spent just talking over the past week? It was going to be alright. He adjusted his bowtie, suddenly second guessing everything he might say.</p><p>“You alright?” Virgil asked, taking another drink.</p><p>Logan nodded. “Yeah, just.. nervous.”</p><p>“Nervous? What do you have to be nervous about?”</p><p>“Quite a few things actually, but I’ve debunked each proposition-”</p><p>“So nothing.”</p><p>Logan sighed. “Yes, nothing.”</p><p>“So, loosen up. Pretend it’s just us talking. That’s what I’m trying to do, I’m kinda freaking out, too.” Virgil chuckled nervously.</p><p>Logan chucked slightly in return, “How is it that you’re always the one giving me comfort?”</p><p>Virgil shrugged, “Dunno. When I’m with you I feel confident, competent. Like I can actually help people and not hinder them.”</p><p>Logan flushed, “All that from being in my company?”</p><p>“Don’t let it go to your head.” Virgil said, finishing off his glass.</p><p>Logan, took the glass from Virgil’s hand. “Alright, that’s enough for now. We can evaluate in..” Logan checked his watch, “about five minutes when the alcohol will supposedly take effect.” Logan then pulled out a notebook and pencil from his picnic basket.</p><p>“Don’t tell me this was a secret science experiment.” Virgil said, eyeing the notebook.</p><p>“Of course not. It just happened to be a good opportunity to see if the reaction is different in sirens than humans in regards to alcohol consumption. It was just too good to pass up.”</p><p>Virgil rolled his eyes, “Alright, but don’t spend all night taking notes.”</p><p>“I won’t.” Logan promised. He wouldn’t be able to focus on taking notes the entire time. Virgil looked absolutely stunning with his black lipstick. Normally, he wasn’t able to take his eyes off Virgil, so with the addition of the lipstick, it was even more so. He had to fight not to stare. And even then, he still admired Virgil a substantial amount.</p><p>“Logan?” Virgil asked, resting his head on his hands, looking up at him.</p><p>“Hm?” Logan asked, consuming another spoonful of Crofters.</p><p>“How’d you get so pretty?”</p><p>Logan choked, caught completely off guard, blushing profusely, “E-excuse me?”</p><p>“You heard me.”</p><p>No filter. There was no way Virgil would have the confidence to say that normally. Logan reached for his notebook, but Virgil grabbed his wrist, stopping him.</p><p>“You can take notes after. Let’s just spend this time together, not worrying about the outside world.”</p><p>Logan had to think very carefully about this. Virgil wasn’t blackout drunk, but he was definitely inebriated. Boundaries would have to be set. He wouldn’t want Virgil to regret anything he did tonight. Though, maybe notes could wait just a bit. Logan lowered his hand, Virgil smiling at the action.</p><p>Logan couldn’t help but smile back. Damn that boy was pretty.</p><p>“Now c’mere pretty boy.” Virgil smirked, beckoning Logan over with a finger.</p><p>Logan acquiesced, heart racing. Virgil’s sudden confidence had him glowing, and damn it was attractive. He sat down at the edge of the cove, admiring his date. He really could stare at him for hours.</p><p>Virgil sat at the edge of the rock, tail visibly swishing back and forth. “Is Mr. I-Could-Talk-Your-Ear-Off-For-Hours speechless?” He teased.</p><p>Logan flushed bright red, and opened his mouth to retort. Much to his dismay, he really was speechless. He looked away, in hopes of regaining the scraps of his composure.</p><p>“Oh come now, you don’t need to be coy, we’re on a date, aren’t we? Might as well have a little bit of action.” Virgil sat up next to Logan, his violet eyes shining with excitement.</p><p>Logan’s face flushed beet red as Virgil cupped his face with on hand, other hand undoing his bowtie.</p><p>“Logan?” Virgil locked eyes with him.</p><p>“Hm?” Logan squeaked, finally gaining the confidence to respond.</p><p>He leaned in, face centimeters from Logan’s. “Kiss me.”</p><p>Logan’s heart was racing, his thoughts in a jumble. Almost all of him just wanted to forget everything and close the gap. But Virgil was intoxicated. And he was literally shimmering. Not to mention his eyes had changed colour. The alcohol must have dampened Virgil’s ability to tune into his humanity. Not entirely, but definitely enough to where Virgil’s usual boundaries were being crossed. That was certainly something to take note of. He knew Virgil--sober Virgil--wouldn’t be comfortable with this. And Logan wouldn’t let him do something he wasn’t ready for. “V-Virgil.. You’re not thinking straight.”</p><p>Virgil smirked, tugging off Logan’s bowtie and tossing it aside. “No, I most certainly am not.”</p><p>In a panic, Logan shoved Virgil and scurried back, forcing his head to clear. This wasn’t right. “Virgil, I’m not kissing you, or doing anything else with you right now. You’re clearly not in the frame of mind to be making smart decisions, so I’m saying this now. I’ll stay the rest of the night, but you have to promise me. No more advances. Not until you’re sober, and you’re fully aware of what you’re doing.”</p><p>Virgil’s expression went from hurt to horror in 60 seconds flat. His tail was still shimmering, but from what Logan could see, his irises were back to their usual lavender. “I-I’m sorry, I thought-”</p><p>“Don’t get me wrong, I would love to just forget about the world and let you hold and kiss me for hours, but it’s not the right thing to do. I still find you attractive, I just want you to be able to have as much control in how fast we move in this relationship as I, and that means that I don’t let you make big decisions when your judgement’s clouded.” Logan said, retying his bowtie, hoping desperately that he wasn’t coming off as too harsh. Not to mention, Logan was asexual, but that was a conversation for a different day.</p><p>Much to Logan’s relief, Virgil nodded. “Y-you’re right..”</p><p>Logan nodded, smiling slightly. “I know.”</p><p>Virgil looked down at his fidgeting hands, a flush spreading across his face, “Logan..? Can I ask you something..?”</p><p>Logan nodded, still trying to calm himself down from the events that had just transpired.</p><p>“Can I cuddle with you..?” Virgil asked, still not making eye contact.</p><p>Yes. Very much yes. For eternity yes. “Only if you promise not to do anything else.” Logan was pretty confident that Virgil wouldn’t do anything, now that he was mostly back to normal, but no harm in setting clear boundaries.</p><p>Virgil nodded, making an “X” over his heart like a little kid would when making a promise.</p><p>Logan couldn’t help but smile and grabbed a blanket from his dinghy. He was planning on laying down on it whilst stargazing, but turns out that that wasn’t happening tonight. After all, Virgil still wasn’t completely sober, and Logan wasn't just going leave him like that. Virgil hoisted himself onto the rocky cove and Logan wrapped him in the blanket. He smiled contently, nuzzling into Logan’s chest, almost like a cat. Logan flushed a bright red and hesitantly put a hand around his shoulder. </p><p>Virgil looked up at Logan. “Thank you.”</p><p>Logan nodded. “Of course.”</p><p>The two were silent for a while, sitting in each other’s arms, content and in the moment.</p><p>“I love you..” Virgil muttered, head resting on Logan’s chest, Logan’s hand on his.</p><p>Logan froze up for a second, registering the words. It took a second for his brain to start working again, and he looked down at Virgil. “I love you too.” He murmured back. </p><p>Turns out he was going stargazing tonight after all. It was just a different kind of star.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Virgil</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which fluff ensues.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first thing Virgil registered was the fact that he was on land. The next was that he wasn’t alone. He dared to open his eyes and found Logan curled up against him, sleeping soundly. Virgil immediately turned red as the events of last night crashed upon him. The way he’d acted, how he had fallen asleep in Logan’s arms, and somehow, during the night, the positions had been reversed. He was completely and utterly embarrassed, but he felt a twinge of relief knowing that Logan respected him enough not to let his lack of judgement get the better of him.</p><p>Logan shifted slightly, burying his face into Virgil’s chest, arms tucked into his own. Virgil smiled pulling him closer. He was almost cute. He looked so calm. Virgil unconsciously began to run his fingers through Logan’s hair, getting a contented hum in response. Virgil’s heart sped up, thinking about what would happen when Logan woke up, but pushed the thought aside. Worrying about the future didn’t do him any good. And besides, he didn’t want to miss this moment by being stuck in his spiraling thoughts. He continued to play with Logan’s hair, admiring him. </p><p>They laid like that for a while, Virgil wasn’t sure how long, but eventually Logan began to stir.</p><p>“Morning.” Virgil mutterd, smiling and hoping that Logan couldn’t hear the rapid pounding of his heart. If he played it cool, maybe it wouldn’t be awkward.</p><p>Logan smiled slightly murmuring, “Morning,” in return. Then, quickly, his face went redder than the jelly Virgil had tried the night before.</p><p>He couldn’t help but chuckle. “Yes Lo?”</p><p>Logan turned even redder at the nickname, “Uhm..” He squeaked.</p><p>Virgil’s chuckle turned into a laugh. “You look a little red there, Lo.” He teased, still messing with Logan’s hair.</p><p>Logan cleared his throat, “I-uhm-I..”</p><p>Virgil bit his lip, smiling. He’d forgotten how cute Logan was when at a loss for words.</p><p>“This is.. This is just new is all..” Logan muttered, glancing down. “Though not entirely unwanted.” He added.</p><p>“Agreed.” Virgil said, flushing lightly as he did so.</p><p>“Part of me wishes I could stay here forever.” Logan murmured, almost dreamily. He then quickly shut his mouth, hiding his face in the closest place, which happened to be Virgil’s chest. “That was supposed to stay in my head..” Logan admitted, clearly embarrassed.</p><p>Virgil flushed at the words and action, though he couldn’t help but smile at Logan’s almost childlike demeanor. “It’s alright. You’re cute without your filter.”</p><p>This only caused Logan to become more flustered, which in turn, made them both flush. “We can stay here if you’d like. I mean, I don’t really have any plans.”</p><p>Logan hummed an affirmation, then looked up at Virgil. “I.. um.. I got a present for you..”</p><p>“Really?” Virgil asked, shocked. “You really planned out this whole date didn’t you?”</p><p>Logan’s eyes slid away sheepishly. “Yeah.. It’s um, it’s in the picnic basket. I was going to give it to you last night, but, you know.. I’d get up and get it, but.. um.. I’m comfortable..”</p><p>Virgil chuckled and reached over, pulling the woven basket towards him.</p><p>“It’s at the bottom.” Logan instructed.</p><p>Virgil reached in and pulled out a black jacket with purple, plaid patches and decorative, cream stitches surrounding them. The right breast had a purple thundercloud on it, which was also surrounded in decorative stitches. The inside of the hood was purple, as were the cuffs and pockets. “Logan, did you make this yourself?” Virgil asked in awe.</p><p>“Well, I bought the jacket, but I sewed on the patches, ensignia, and stitches myself.”</p><p>“This is amazing!” Virgil gushed, maneuvering himself so as to put on the jacket but not to move away from Logan.</p><p>He smiled. “Thanks. I’m glad you enjoy it.” Once Virgil had settled back down, Logan immediately snuggled into the jacket.</p><p>“You’re gonna steal this from me, aren’t you?”</p><p>Logan just nodded, clearly content.</p><p>“Yeah, okay.” Virgil smiled, wrapping his arms around him once more.</p><p>Logan hummed contentedly, and closed his eyes.</p><p>Virgil noticed he was significantly more comfortable, now that Virgil had on an article of clothing, but thought nothing of it. The jacket was probably much more comfortable than his bare chest.</p><p>The two relaxed into each other, peppering the silence with the occasional question. They stayed like that for hours, and when the sun set, Logan made his blanket into a makeshift cushion to prevent the cold, rocky surface making them any more uncomfortable than necessary. They talked the day and night away, as they had done so many times before, easing back into their comfortable rhythm. The date was nice, but this, this is what Virgil really loved.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Logan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Logan encounters Virgil in all his siren glory once more.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>WARNINGS: Drowning, Near Death</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Logan took a deep breath as he stepped into his dinghy, attempting to calm his nerves. He could already feel his body flooding with adrenaline as he sat down, placing his satchel across from him. He checked the contents again and then looked up at the sky. The full moon lit up the deep waters as he rowed out to the cove. Tonight was the night. He’d known Virgil for a month, and their relationship had flourished. Now, that relationship would be tested. Logan had been preparing himself for this moment for weeks, but even still, he couldn’t help but feel uneasy. In the few weeks that he had worked with Virgil to resist his song, his will had grown, but even so, his success rate was a mere 75%. Not terrible, but definitely not as high as he'd hoped. </p><p>Tonight was a gamble. He could lose his life tonight. The thought sent a shudder down his spine. The fear of losing his will was ever present as he pulled into the cove and stepped onto the rocky ground, placing his satchel in the corner. It contained two small containers of paraffin, the Murder of Roger Ackroyd, and a spoon and a jar of Crofters. He would definitely need his comfort food and novel after this whole ordeal. He pulled a container of wax from his bag and slipped it into his pocket. He’d need quick access to it if things didn’t go according to plan.</p><p>Logan removed his glasses and placed them in his bag. He didn’t want a repeat of their first encounter. Then, he sat down, and waited. Theoretically, he wouldn’t even have to submerge himself. All he had to do was kiss Virgil, and since he wanted to do that half the time anyways, it wouldn’t be that hard. Theoretically. Nerves getting to him, Logan stood and began to pace, waiting for Virgil to show up. He wondered if he would retain any of his memories in his siren form. If he did, that may be a problem, but that’s why Logan had brought the wax. He’d elected to not tell Virgil where he’d be keeping it, just in case Virgil did retain his memories when in his animalistic state of mind.</p><p>Minutes felt like hours as he paced. He checked his watch every few seconds, anxiously awaiting the arrival of his significant other. Logan was running his hands through his hair so violently he was pulling strands from his scalp. Just as he was getting close to literally tearing tufts of his hair out, he saw him. Virgil gracefully rose above water. He rested his arms on the rock as usual, his head tilted slightly. His mannerisms were the same, but the energy radiating off him was most definitely not. His eyes were devoid of colour, and the smirk that played across his features was unnervingly uncharacteristic. Despite this, Logan felt drawn to him. His thoughts started to drift away as the magic radiating from the siren took effect. Logan shook his head slightly and grit his teeth in determination. He stepped towards Virgil and knelt down, taking his face in his hands. Logan had wanted to do this for ages, and finally he had the confidence to do it. He leaned in and kissed Virgil. Sparks flew as he did so and he felt the siren’s arms link around his neck. It was perfect.</p><p>Virgil pulled away slightly, leaving Logan out of breath. He locked eyes with Logan and the minute he looked back, he realized it hadn’t worked. Logan reached for the paraffin in his pocket-</p><p>“Not so fast Lolo~” Virgil crooned, his smirk widening into a grin.</p><p>Logan fought to regain control enough to retrieve the paraffin, but it was no use. Virgil had spoken, and it truly was all over. His thoughts drifted away like dandelion seeds in the wind as his head filled with cotton. Virgil’s hands slid from around his neck to cupping his face, then he descended into the water, beckoning Logan to follow. Without thinking, Logan sunk unceremoniously into the water after Virgil. There was something in his mind screaming at him that something was off, but when sifted through the cotton in his head, it was nothing more than a whisper. Once he was submerged, Virgil returned to him, pulling him close and running his fingers through his prey’s hair. Logan leaned into his touch, barely noticing when Virgil pulled the paraffin from his pocket and let it sink into the depths below. Nothing was going to ruin this for him.</p><p>“You can breathe, it’s alright.” Virgil said, caressing Logan’s cheek.</p><p>He hadn’t even noticed he’d been holding his breath. It made sense, it alway happened when Virgil was around. He flushed lightly at Virgil’s touch, inhaling deeply. Somewhere, far away, he registered pain. He wasn’t sure what it was or where it was coming from, and he didn’t really care. He was here, with Virgil, and here he’d stay. His vision started to fade in and out. The only thing he registered was Virgil’s voice.</p><p>“That’s it, darling~ Just drift away.” As if that wasn’t enough, Virgil began to sing.</p><p>Logan, a pleasant smile painted across his features, began to fall into the dark. His whole body convulsed as he fought for air, though the feeling was so distant it was nearly nonexistent. He felt light as black shrouded his vision and his body went limp.</p><p>* * *</p><p>Logan looked around, confused. He was in an entirely white plane, standing atop some sort of liquid. It rippled as he walked, but was otherwise completely still. Nothing had appeared, and so he continued to walk, wondering where he was and why. Suddenly, he came across a black throne covered in vines and skulls at the armrests and flanking the back. Logan grimaced at the sight, but was drawn to it. He reached for it and was immediately pulled back by someone. He looked back and saw that it was himself who had a hold on his wrist.</p><p>“What the fuck?”</p><p>“Logan, don’t.”</p><p>“Who.. what.. huh?”</p><p>“I’m your subconscious, I’d explain more, but frankly, you don’t have time, and by extension, neither do I. All I can say is DON’T touch that throne.”</p><p>“Well, a little bit of an explanation would be nice.” He snapped.</p><p>His subconscious sighed. “Fine. That, right there,” he gestured toward the throne, “is death. If you sit there you’ll truly die. And, last I checked, neither of us are ready for that yet. So, what you’re going to do is march through that archway right there, save yourself, and then save your boyfriend, okay?” The archway he gestured to was tall and seemingly made of stacks of leather-bound novels, their ribbon bookmarks a glowing off white, standing out against the gold of pages.</p><p>“He’s not my-”</p><p>“I don’t fucking care. Just walk over there; don’t accept defeat yet.”</p><p>“Wait, so I’m in limbo currently?” Logan asked, trying to wrap his mind around the whole situation.</p><p>“Yes and no. This is just a physical manifestation of your will to live. This is how your mind is justifying what’s currently happening to you. Which is asphyxiation. So, quit wasting time and walk through the damn archway.”</p><p>Logan was completely and utterly shocked. Then, memories came flooding in, this time from a third person perspective. He could see what Virgil--not Virgil, <em>the siren,</em> had done to him and how his subconscious was right. He was dying. “So all I have to do is walk through that archway? This is awfully black and white for the concept of death.”</p><p>“This is NOT the time to ponder your restricting worldview! Jesus, just don’t die!” His subconscious threw his hands up in exasperation and then turned to dust.</p><p>Logan’s eyes widened. That didn’t seem good. The memories he had obtained earlier faded as well and the white walls shifted into pictures and videos of his childhood. Somehow, he knew that this was his life flashing before his eyes. He knew this wasn’t good. He might as well listen to his “subconscious.” It definitely couldn’t hurt. He walked towards the door, and when the pictures and videos shifted to his more recent memories, he began to sprint. </p><p>He crashed through the gilded, golden archway and slammed back into his body. His eyes widened and looked frantically around him. Virgil was still there, his face blurred, but the way his tail was thrashing told Logan he wasn’t happy. He needed to find... something. His lungs burned and his limbs were lead. Something. Something. What was it? <em>Paraffin.</em> He reached into his pocket and discovered with horror it wasn’t there. He’d packed a second one, but it was all the way back at the cove. Would he be able to make it? Even if he had the strength to, would he be able to resist Virgil long enough to get there? There were no other options, he had to try.</p><p>He kicked as calmly as he could, seeing as he couldn’t breathe and the urge to cough was unbearable. By some miracle, he made it to the cove, wherein he proceeded to hack his lungs out. He froze as he heard Virgil’s soothing voice from the depths. He set his jaw and quickly reached for the wax. Virgil broke the surface, singing louder than before, his voice echoing around the cove. It was as enchanting as ever, but there was a horrifying edge to it. That edge was enough for Logan to shove the wax into his ears and skitter to the back of the cove, shaking violently and convulsing. He continued his hacking as his body purged the water from his lungs. Logan felt light headed and sick to his stomach. His throat and lungs burned and every inhale grew more and more painful, but he was alive, and that’s what mattered. He looked back at Virgil, horrified and sympathetic. He was clearly belting, his face contorted in anger, but Logan had enough wax in his ears to block out the song. He didn't understand how Virgil survived turning into this every month, but he admired it. Virgil was incredibly strong, and maybe, one day, he'd learn to accept this part of himself and, by extension, learn to control it. Logan reached for his book and glasses, and had an idea. He didn't really want to ignore Virgil, and maybe hearing him talk would help. Logan opened it and began to read aloud.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Virgil</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which Logan comforts Virgil</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Virgil was furious. The entirety of his body burned with the rage of being foiled. He’d nearly killed this human, and had felt that split second of victory. Just long enough to begin relishing before they </span>
  <em>
    <span>came back alive.</span>
  </em>
  <span> That wasn’t supposed to happen. Virgil was shocked. Infuriatingly, that split second of shock was enough for the human to gain an advantage and slip from his grasp. He chased it to the surface, belting his lungs out. His face twisted in rage as he saw the human slam paraffin into its ears. He didn’t stop. He just sang louder. But then, the human did the most curious thing. It pulled out a book and began to read. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Virgil faltered slightly at the action. He still sang, but watched in confusion as the human read at a steady pace, adjusting his glasses frequently. At first, Virgil couldn’t hear it over his own voice resonating and echoing around the cove. But, eventually, curiosity got the best of him and he stopped, listening to the human. Virgil tilted his head to the side, confused. No human had ever done that before. They typically fled, their will to live taking over. But this one--</span>
  <em>
    <span>Logan</span>
  </em>
  <span> a small voice in the back of his mind told him--did no such thing. He made himself comfortable and began to read aloud, almost as if this would soothe Virgil. Much to his surprise, it did. It was calming, the way the words seemed to flow, punctuated by his crisp consonants. Soon enough, Virgil was resting his head on his hands, a slight smile playing across his features as the human read. It was almost familiar, though Virgil couldn’t pinpoint where. Virgil took a breath, suddenly realizing how tired he felt. He let his eyes slip shut as Logan’s voice washed over him.</span>
</p><p> </p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Virgil awoke, everything sore. He popped his neck, keeping his eyes closed, reluctant to wake up. As he came to his senses, a voice brought him to reality. He opened his eyes, looking up to see a very tired Logan reading aloud, halfway through his book. His voice was hoarse and raspy, his words slurring together. Virgil frowned, then stiffened as last night's events returned to him. He waved a hand, getting Logan’s attention, then knocked his fist against the cove ground in a pattern. This was the signal he and Logan had decided on earlier to signal that Virgil was back to his normal self.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The relief in Logan’s features was obvious as he pulled the wax from his ears, sticking his tongue out in disgust. “Glad to see you’re back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Images flashed across Virgil’s mind’s eye. Logan floating lifeless in the water. Logan scrambling away in fear. Logan reading. Virgil’s lower lip quivered, a wall of tears building up, the dam threatening to burst any second. “I-I’m so sorry Lo..” Virgil managed to speak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Logan made his way over to Virgil and put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s alright.” Logan said with a reassuring smile. “I knew what I was signing up for when I came out here tonight. And, take a look at me, I’m okay. A little shaken up, sure, but I am alright.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“B-but I could have-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But you </span>
  <em>
    <span>didn’t.”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Logan insisted, brushing Virgil’s bangs from his face. “I am alive and safe. Cold as hell, sure, but I’m safe.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Virgil nodded, not trusting himself to speak.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I brought some Crofters, predicting that we might both need some comfort food after this whole ordeal. Would you like some?” Logan offered, not knowing what else to do.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Virgil nodded. Logan retrieved the jar and spoon, opening the fresh jar and handing it to Virgil along with the spoon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aren’t you gonna have some first?” He asked, worried about how scratchy Logan’s voice sounded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If this is about the state of my throat, no, I don’t need it. Some water will do the trick just fine. But I appreciate your concern. It doesn’t go unnoticed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“O-okay.” Virgil began to eat, beginning to relax.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His brows furrowed as he tried to push the unwelcome images of Logan dead in the water from his mind. He clenched his teeth, squeezing his eyes shut. It wasn’t until he felt a hand wiping the tears from his cheeks that he even realized he was crying. He continued to sob, not willing to speak, just needing to express his emotions. His chest heaved as he sobbed, and Logan wrapped his arm around Virgil, hoping to comfort him with touch. Eventually, Virgil calmed down enough to talk again, though he was by no means finished crying.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Logan, I’m so so so sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Virgil, I’m aware, but you needn’t apologize. As I stated earlier, we both knew the dangers of what we were getting into, and we both emerged relatively unscathed. I consider that a win.” He spoke calmly, trying to soothe his sobbing partner.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I just.. I feel so bad.. I feel like a terrible person..” Virgil confessed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighed. “I’m aware, but you’re not. People make mistakes, some more than others. The important part is that you’re trying to change. Trying to better yourself. You recognize something in yourself that isn’t healthy and you’re working to correct it. That’s more than most can say, and frankly, you can’t get much better than that. You have the courage to face the fact that there’s something you’re unhappy with, and then even more courage to work on changing. If that doesn’t qualify as something a ‘good person’ would do, I don’t know what does.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Virgil could only nod as he buried his face into Logan’s damp polo. They stayed like that for a while, Logan sitting there giving the comfort that Virgil needed, and Virgil sobbing his guilt out. With a deep breath, he finally managed the courage to look Logan in the eye.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you going to leave me..?” He whimpered.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Logan shook his head, running his fingers through Virgil’s hair. “Of course not, Virge. I love you. And I can see the effort you’re putting in. So, no. I don’t plan on leaving ever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ever?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Logan smiled. “Ever.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Virgil rested his head against his boyfriend’s chest once more. “I love you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Logan, with reluctance, kissed Virgil’s head. “I love you too.”</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the story comes to a close.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Virgil glanced over at Logan, his signature jar of Crofters by his side as he read aloud to him. “You know tonight’s a full moon, Lo.” He said warily.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Virgil. It has been a year and a half since ‘The Incident,’ though I still don’t understand why we have to call it that. Nevertheless, we both know nothing will happen. You’re as composed as ever. But if it makes you feel better, and I know it does, I brought paraffin. I certainly don’t think I’ll need it, but if it’ll ease your nerves, I’ll comply.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Virgil sighed as Logan leaned over and kissed him. “Thank you, Lolo.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course, darling. Now, shall I continue reading or would you like to sit and talk?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Virgil propped himself up against the rock Logan was sitting by and put his head on his shoulder. “Continue. I like it when you read to me.” He nuzzled into Logan’s shoulder, smiling and sighing as he made himself comfortable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Logan chuckled, kissing Virgil’s head. “Of course. Now, where was I? Oh, yes…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The two stayed like that for the rest of the night. The stars and moon passed them by as Logan brought them into an entirely new land. It had become a common pastime for Logan to read to Virgil and both thoroughly enjoyed it. Logan got to introduce Virgil to his favourite stories, while Virgil used this as his cuddle time, as well as enjoying Logan’s soothing voice sifting through his ears. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The years would pass, and the couple would grow closer and closer. Soon enough, they found means for Logan to join Virgil in the water, and for Virgil to join Logan on land. They, as well as their relationship, grew and flourished. Neither of them would have expected such a jarring event would lead to slew of wondrous memories to come.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
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